


The Third Wheel

by littlebirdtold



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Humor, Love Triangles, M/M, Romance, Starfleet Academy, Warning: jerk!Kirk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2013-09-23
Packaged: 2017-12-27 10:24:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/977652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlebirdtold/pseuds/littlebirdtold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Academy AU. In which Cadet Kirk constantly crashes Cadet Uhura's dates with Commander Spock and monopolizes his attention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Third Wheel

* * *  
  
"Quit ogling her legs and put your tongue back in your mouth, kid. You'll just piss her off."  
  
Jim grinned. "But that's the funniest part, Bones!"  
  
McCoy shook his head and returned his attention to his tray of food while Jim returned to admiring Uhura's fantastic legs.  
  
Damn, he loved  Starfleet uniforms.  
  
Uhura turned her head and caught him looking. Jim winked and she glared at him, her perfect lips pursing together before she turned away.  
  
"She will never fuck you, Jim," Bones stated, taking a bite from his toast.  
  
Jim raised his eyebrows. "Why not?"   
  
"She's a smart girl."   
  
"Aww, I'm wounded, Bones!" Jim crowed, clutching his chest dramatically before continuing to smirk. "Also, you said the same thing about Nicole, but she still couldn't resist my charm."  
  
"You mean she couldn't resist your dick," McCoy muttered.  
  
Jim made a thoughtful face. "There’s a difference?"  
  
McCoy huffed, shaking his head. "This time, I'm right. Uhura is way smarter than Nicole. And she already thinks you’re a dick."  
  
Jim laughed. " _Bones_ , Bones, Bones—you don't know women at all. It's a game as old as time— they say 'no' when they mean 'yes' and drive a man out of his wits just for the fun of it. They love dicks!"  
  
"Maybe some girls are like that, but trust me, you have zero chance with Uhura."  
  
Jim grinned. "Wanna bet?"  
  
Bones hesitated, then snorted. "Sure, why not? I'm gonna win anyway. You're buying me three bottles of Altairian brandy if Uhura doesn't fuck you within a month."  
  
Jim chewed on his lip. He hadn't really been serious when he had suggested the bet, but he wasn't going to chicken out now.  
  
"Fine. Two months."  
  
McCoy sneered. "Losing your touch, kid?"  
  
Jim smiled. "You wish. Start saving your credits, buddy!"  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
To tell the truth, Jim wasn’t all that sure that he would win the bet. Bones was right: Uhura  _was_  smart. She was also very stubborn. Over the eight months that he had known her, it had become obvious that she had no intention of changing her opinion of him. Not that Jim had given her any reason to — she  _wanted_  to think of him as a dumb jerk, so he gave her what she wanted by being as obnoxious as possible.  
  
Now, though, now Jim needed to win her over.  
  
Under pretense of reading something on the computer terminal, Jim watched Uhura talk to some girl across the library.  
  
Jim knew straightforwardness would not work, so he needed a plan of action.  
  
First of all, he had to find out Uhura's likes and dislikes. It would be pretty easy, since Jim knew Uhura's girlfriends—all right, Jim had  _slept_  with many of them, and this might be a problem, actually, since Jim had a sneaking suspicion that those girls were partially responsible for Uhura's attitude towards him. It was only a coincidence, really, that most of his hook-ups were with girls from Communications, but thanks to that, Uhura probably thought that he’d slept with half of the Academy.   
  
He wasn’t really a womanizer. Sure, he got laid on a regular basis like every decent looking twenty-three-year-old guy, but he wasn’t a man-whore or anything. Most of his reputation came from exaggerated rumors and his harmless habit of flirting with anything that moved. Yup, he was totally harmless, really.   
  
Jim was pulled from his thoughts when someone blocked his view of Uhura.

  
He looked up, and up, until his gaze met the eyes of the Vulcan standing in front of him.  
  
Jim frowned, confused. He'd never seen a Vulcan at the Academy.  
  
"Yeah?" he said cautiously. "Do I know you?"  
  
The Vulcan gave him a cold look. "It is quite obvious that you do not. I am Professor Spock."   
  
Jim raised his eyebrows. "And?" He knew that he was being rude, but he wasn't in the mood for chatting with some stranger; he was busy, a man on a mission.  
  
Spock's eyes narrowed slightly. "Cadet Kirk, I am here to warn you. You will abandon your plans concerning Cadet Uhura."  
  
Jim barely kept his jaw from dropping. How the hell did this guy know about it?  
  
"I don't know what you’re talking about," he said, putting on his best poker face.  
  
Spock gave him an icy look. "You know very well what I am referring to, Cadet. I heard your conversation with Cadet McCoy."  
  
 _Shit._  How was that possible? He hadn't seen Spock there.  
  
Jim leaned back and folded his arms, tilting his chin up. "Didn't your mother teach you that it's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations?"   
  
"Do not attempt to change the topic, Cadet Kirk," Spock said coldly. "If you do not abandon your distasteful plans, I shall inform Cadet Uhura of your real motives."  
  
Seriously, Spock made it sound like Jim was some kind of predator who was planning to seduce an innocent virgin. The mere idea was ridiculous. Uhura was one scary girl, and if Jim was honest with himself, she could have him for breakfast; that was why it was so exciting to pursue her in the first place.  
  
Jim tilted his head, examining Spock. "Why the interest? Why do you even care? Who is Uhura to you?"  
  
Spock leveled him with a look. "This is none of your concern, Cadet."  
  
Jim stared at him for a few moments before smirking.  
  
"You want her, too!" he declared with a chuckle.  
  
The tips of Spock's ears tinged green slightly. "Do not be ludicrous, Cadet," he said stiffly. "Cadet Uhura is my student; that is all."  
  
Jim let out a laugh. "Wow, really? You're lusting after your student,  _Professor_?"  
  
"Lower your voice, Kirk," Spock said, throwing a sidelong glance at Uhura and the other cadets.  
  
Jim tapped his chin thoughtfully.   
  
"Hmm, let's make a deal. I won't tell the Academy Board that you're lusting after your student, and you won't tell Uhura about the bet. Deal?"  
  
Spock stared at him as if Jim was speaking a language he couldn't understand.  
  
"I am not 'lusting' after Cadet Uhura, Cadet Kirk," he said finally.   
  
Jim rolled his eyes, smirking. "Right _._  I wasn't born yesterday, you know. So, is that a deal?"  
  
Spock's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.   
  
"I will consider this." He turned around and left. Jim frowned, watching his retreating back.   
  
That made things a little more complicated.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"So, how's your progress with Uhura?" Bones asked from where he was lying on his bed, reading something on a PADD.  
  
Jim locked the door behind him and walked to his bed. "Great! There's a small complication, though."  
  
Bones looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed. "A complication?"  
  
"Yep," Jim replied, unfastening his jacket. "There's some Vulcan guy who's got the hots for Uhura. He heard our conversation about the bet and basically told me to keep away from his girl. Ha! As if I—"  
  
"Hold on, a Vulcan?" Bones cut him off, frowning. "There's only one Vulcan here—that pointy-eared bastard Spock."  
  
Jim's fingers stopped fumbling with the buttons.  
  
"You know him?"  
  
McCoy's eyes widened. "You’re really talking about  _Spock_?"  
  
Jim nodded. "He said that was his name."  
  
"Spock has hots for Uhura," McCoy said incredulously. "Wow. Who would've guessed?"  
  
"Where do you know him from?"  
  
McCoy snorted. "Where do I  _know_  him from— Do you even listen to me when I talk about my classes or do you just hear static every time I open my mouth?"  
  
Jim frowned. "He’s your instructor?"  
  
Bones rolled his eyes. "Yes, Jim, he’s my instructor—my Xenobiology professor, in fact. And I'll tell you what—don't mess with Spock. He's a ruthless son of a bitch. Half of the class is scared silly of him."  
  
Jim unfastened the rest of the buttons. "Really? And what about the other half?"   
  
McCoy snorted in disgust. "The other half is mooning over him."  
  
Pulling off his jacket, Jim threw it on a chair. "Yeah? I'll never understand the appeal."  
  
"Well, I guess he's okay looking," McCoy said, his gaze returning to the PADD.  
  
Jim went still. Coming from his grumpy friend, 'okay looking' was very high praise. Jim tried to remember Spock. Black shiny hair, deep brown eyes, long eyelashes and very pale skin. Tall, graceful and probably really strong.  
  
 _Fuck._  This was no good.  
  
"Bones."  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"Do you think he's hotter than me?"  
  
McCoy laughed out loud.  
  
Jim flopped down on his bed. "I'm serious here, Bones! It's important!"  
  
"Don't worry,  _Jamie_ ; you're still the prettiest girl in the Academy."  
  
Jim threw a pillow at his head.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
 _Things Uhura likes:  
\- Intellectual conversations  
\- opera  
\- dark hair  
\- dark eyes_  
  
Jim stared at the list, frowning. He could easily do intellectual conversations, but the problem was, it was very unlikely that Uhura would stay in his company long enough to start such a conversation.   
He wasn't a big fan of opera, but he didn't hate it either—the music was nice enough to fall asleep to.  
Unfortunately, there was nothing Jim could do about his blond hair and blue eyes. Spock had an unfair advantage on him.  
  
 _Things Uhura dislikes:  
\- assholes  
\- man-whores  
\- dumbheads  
\- drunken idiots_  
  
Jim scowled. Olivia clearly was still mad at him for that time at the bar.   
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Jim carefully looked around the corner to make sure the coast was clear and then headed down the hall to Uhura's dorm.  
  
He knocked. A few moments later, the door opened, revealing a girl wearing nothing but her underwear.  
  
Jim kept his eyes on her face—he was a gentleman, after all.  
  
"Hi, it's Mandy, isn't it?" he said, smiling. Thank god he hadn't slept with Uhura's roommate.  
  
The girl beamed at him. "Yes. And you are, of course, Jim Kirk."  
  
Jim smirked. "The one and only. I'm looking for Uhura. Is she in?"  
  
Mandy shook her head. "You just missed her. She's out on a date."  
  
 _Shit.  
_  
"Out on a date? With whom?"   
  
Mandy giggled. "Promise not to tell anyone?"  
  
"Sure," Jim said with a smile. He could already guess where it was going.  
  
"She's out on a date with Professor Spock," she whispered, looking half horrified, half jealous. "It's the first  date."   
  
"Oh, really? He probably took her somewhere special, right?"  
  
Mandy wrinkled her nose. "Yeah; they went to the Opera House. Not my idea of fun, but she’s crazy about this stuff."  
  
Jim smiled at her. "Thanks, Mandy; I guess I'll catch her later. Gotta go."  
  
"Oh. Okay," she said, looking a little disappointed.  
  
"See you!" Jim grinned and ran to his dorm.  
  
Like hell he was letting Spock steal Uhura. It was 8:20 p.m. - Spock and Uhura were probably going on a 9 o'clock performance, so he had time to change into his tux.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Jim tugged at his collar.  _Fuck_ , he hated tuxedos; he hated the shoes that went with them even more. But he needed to impress Uhura, and he looked damn fine in his tux.   
  
Jim looked around the auditorium. The performance was about to start in five minutes, so he had to find them quickly. Looking up, he grinned as he spotted Uhura and Spock in one of the boxes.   
  
He walked quickly to them.   
  
"Hey, fancy meeting you here!" Jim said, entering the box, and they turned to him.  
  
Uhura was frowning. "Kirk? What are you doing here?"  
  
Jim made an innocent face. "What do you mean, what I'm doing here? I'm here to enjoy the opera! Mind if I sit with you two? Great! Didn't want to sit alone like a loser." Not really giving them any choice, Jim flopped down between them.   
  
He smiled innocently at Spock, and the Vulcan narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Cadet Kirk, you were not exactly invited," he said coldly.  
  
"Hey, don't 'cadet' me, man. It's Jim. We're not in the Academy, after all."  
  
"Kirk, seriously, what are you doing here?" Uhura said through her teeth. "I bet you don't even know what opera is."  
  
"That hurt, you know," Jim said solemnly. "Great…dress, by the way."  
  
Uhura huffed and turned back to the stage, clearly with the full intention of ignoring him.  
  
Jim winced inwardly. He didn't really want to piss her off, but he had no choice. He had to ruin their date before they could get serious, or he wouldn’t have a chance with her at all (and would lose the bet, and he  _hated_  losing).  
  
Since Uhura paid him no attention, Jim turned to Spock and found him glaring at him in a very un-Vulcan manner. Jim almost felt bad for him. He would have been pissed off, too, if someone was cock-blocking him.  
  
Jim smiled. "What?"   
  
Spock's face went stony. "Nothing."   
  
Shrugging, Jim pulled a brochure from his pocket. "Hmm, so, what are we watching?  _Hhtretlaar n' Mognqueger?"  
_  
"It means  _The Girl from the Gamma Quadrant_ ," Uhura said in a condescending tone.  
  
Jim smiled sweetly at her. "Thanks, sweetheart, but I know what that means. I'm pretty fluent in Andorian."  
  
Uhura shot him a surprised look before turning back to the stage.   
  
The lights went down, and the performance began.  
  
After a few minutes, Jim wished he did  _not_  know Andorian. The plot was hilarious in its awfulness.   
Fifteen minutes into it, and he couldn't suppress his laughter anymore.   
  
Uhura kicked his shin. "Hush!" she hissed. "What are you giggling about?"  
  
"I am curious as well," Spock said from his other side.  
  
Jim snickered. "Oh, come on, don't you think it's horrible? Even  _I_  can write a better libretto than this—hell, even a ten-year-old kid can do better than this!"  
  
Uhura snorted. "Opera isn't about lyrics, Kirk. It's about listening to the music. The music speaks directly to the soul, but it's above your understanding, of course. And you’re flattering yourself if you think you are smarter than a ten-year-old kid."  
  
Jim sighed sadly. "That's the second time you've insulted me tonight. And I thought we had a special relationship. Be careful, sweetie—at this rate, you might stop being the queen of my heart."  
  
Uhura rolled her eyes. "I'm shaking with fear, Kirk," she snapped before turning her attention to the stage. Jim stared at her in the semi-darkness, restraining a sarcastic remark. He knew he should stop annoying her, but it was really, really hard. Yeah, Uhura was hot, and Jim would like to have her under him, but he liked pissing her off even more.  
It was a pity that he had to stop doing it, but at least he had someone else to entertain him.  
  
Jim shifted closer to Spock and felt him tense.  
  
"Spock," he whispered.  
  
The Vulcan didn't look away from the stage.  
  
" _Spooooock,_ " Jim repeated and heard him take a deep breath.  
  
"Yes, Kirk?" Spock said, not looking at him.  
  
"Are you really enjoying this opera? You can be honest—I won't tell Uhura, I promise."  
  
Spock was quiet for a long minute, and Jim was beginning to wonder if he was ignoring him when he finally spoke, "I must admit that… I have seen better."  
  
Jim smiled in triumph. "See? Men should stick together! Lift your hand."   
  
Spock turned his head to him. "I am not exactly a 'man,' Kirk. Why do you wish me to lift my hand?"  
  
Jim rolled his eyes. "All right,  _males_  should stick together. I wanted to do a fist bump, but I'm not in the mood anymore—it's supposed to be a spontaneous thing!"  
  
Spock was silent for a moment. "I see no logic in bumping our fists together."  
  
"Of course you don't. You suck eggs, Spock."  
  
"I assure you I do not."  
  
Jim chuckled. "You’re funny, you know that? But you still suck."  
  
Spock turned his head back to the stage. "You possess an uncanny ability to greatly annoy an individual, Kirk."   
  
Jim mentally patted himself on the back. "I take it this is your incredibly subtle way of telling me I'm pissing you off. You are supposed not to feel anything, you know."  
  
"You are mistaken. Vulcans do feel, but unlike Humans, we  _control_  our emotions."  
  
"So you mean you might want to wrap your hands around my neck and choke me to death, but you'd never do it?"  
  
Spock ignored him.  
  
Jim folded his arms over his chest, pouting. Seriously, Spock and Uhura were boring as fuck. He wondered, if he weren't here, how they would’ve spent their time. Just sat next to each other in silence? Held hands? Snuggled?  
  
Jim frowned, wrinkling his nose. No; he couldn't imagine Spock and Uhura ever doing that, especially Spock.  
  
For the lack of nothing better to do, Jim reluctantly returned his gaze to the stage. Yeah, the singers' voices weren't bad—they weren't screeching or anything—but somehow he couldn't take the performance seriously when they were singing about complete nonsense.  _'Speaks directly to the soul', my ass.  
_  
Seriously, he deserved some kind of reward because he was silent for  _half an hour_  before he burst out laughing again. Jim quickly put a hand over his mouth, but it didn't muffle the sound so he buried his face in Spock shoulder, shaking with laughter.  
  
"Kirk," Spock grated out.  
  
"Holy shit, this is terrible," Jim muttered, still snickering into the fabric of Spock's tuxedo. "I'm pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be funny. Seriously, what happened to good old-fashioned Italian operas? This is not opera. This is a joke."  
  
He felt Spock's fingers in his hair before his head was pushed away.  
  
"Why are you even here, Kirk, if you find it so humorous?"  
  
Jim chuckled. "You know why."  
  
"You have not abandoned your distasteful plans," Spock said, his gaze on the stage. It was a statement, not a question.  
  
Jim glanced at Uhura, but she seemed completely engrossed in the performance. He moved closer to Spock.  
  
"Hey, stop throwing those words around! There's nothing distasteful about my intentions. I'm not going to use her or anything." He smiled. "I want us to use each other. What's so bad about it? It's not like your intentions are pure and innocent—I won't believe you if you say so. Come on, you can admit it, Spock. I totally understand, really. You're a young guy, she is hot, and you have a dick."  
  
Jim gave Spock's groin an assessing look. "You do have a dick, right? I don't know much about Vulcan anatomy."  
  
Spock exhaled loudly. "I cannot even—"  
  
Jim grinned. "What? Hope I’m not too vulgar for your liking."  
  
Spock turned to face him. Jim only now realised how close they were—or, more precisely, how close he had moved to Spock. Their faces were just a few inches apart, and for a moment, neither of them said anything.  
  
"Do you not think that it is rude to discuss Cadet Uhura in that manner while she is sitting just three feet away?"  
  
"Ha!" Jim said, pointing a finger at Spock's face. "You're avoiding the topic, Mister."  
  
"I am not avoiding the topic."  
  
Jim smirked. "Then prove it! I've heard Vulcans don't lie; tell me that you don't want to fuck her if you can. "  
  
Spock opened his mouth and then closed it again.  
  
Jim grinned. "See? I was right: you can't. You’re no better than me!"  
  
"This is different. I have no intention of being in an intimate relationship with a cadet while I am still an instructor at the Academy."   
  
Jim gaped at him. "Are you serio—"   
  
Suddenly the lights were turned on and everyone began applauding. Wincing at the brightness, Jim covered his eyes with his forearm. To his bewilderment, the crowd seemed to love the performance, cheering, feet-stomping, screams of “ _bravi!_ ” all around. When Jim finally looked up, he found Spock talking to Uhura.  
  
"…In that case, would you like some refreshments?"  
  
Uhura gave him a soft smile. "Yes, thank you—a Cardassian Sunrise."  
  
Spock nodded and looked at Jim. "Do you wish to go to the lobby? Intermission is thirty minutes long."  
  
Shrugging, Jim raised to his feet. "Sure. You're not going?" he asked Uhura.   
  
She shook her head, pulling out her communicator from her purse. "I received a transmission from my mother during the performance. I need to call her."  
  
Jim followed Spock out of the auditorium and into the lobby.   
  
The lobby was already full of people drinking, talking, and laughing. Jim couldn't help noticing that Spock and he attracted a lot of appreciative looks. Well, of course—their looks wouldn't make little children cry, and it didn't hurt that both of them were wearing black tuxedos and were strikingly different from each other: light and dark. Damn, Uhura was one lucky girl.  
  
Jim caught Spock a few times watching him.  
  
"Do you always behave in such a manner?" Spock asked as they walked to the bar.  
  
"What manner?"  
  
"I believe the term is 'making eyes' at everyone."  
  
Jim chuckled, pushing his hands into the pockets of his trousers.   
  
"I'm not hurting anyone, right? It's just an innocent habit." Smiling at him, Jim gave him his best bedroom eyes. "And I have pretty eyes to ‘make eyes,’ don't you think?"  
  
Spock gave him an inscrutable look. "Personally, I prefer dark eyes," he said before turning to the bartender. "A Cardassian Sunrise, please."  
  
Jim pursed his lips.  
  
"What are you pouting about, Blondie?" a guy sitting at the bar asked, smiling at him.  
  
Jim scowled. "Order a Risan mai-tai for me," he grumbled to Spock, ignoring the guy. "It's my favorite."  
  
"A Risan mai-tai and an Enemy's Blood," Jim heard Spock tell the bartender and turned to him with an incredulous look.   
  
"Man, are you nuts? Drinking an Enemy's Blood in Opera?"  
  
Spock leaned against the bar, the dim light accentuating his features making him seem even more…alien. "You are forgetting that I am Vulcan. Alcohol does not affect me. I chose that particular beverage because of its pleasant taste."  
  
Jim leaned against the bar next to him. "I can't decide if I'm jealous or sorry for you."  
  
The bartender handed them their drinks, and Jim took a sip from his cocktail.  
  
"So," he said. "I take it you haven't told Uhura about the bet."  
  
He watched Spock's throat move as he swallowed his Enemy's Blood. Holy  _shit_ \-- he was drinking it like it was water.   
  
"No," Spock replied, putting the glass on the bar and leveling him with a look. "But I might if you give me a reason."  
  
Jim smirked at him over the edge of his glass. "Is that a threat?"  
  
Spock gave him a hard look. "No. This is a warning, Cadet Kirk."  
  
Jim laughed. "I think I like you, Professor." He took another sip from his  _mai-tai_. "But I'm going to win, and you're going to lose."  
  
Spock's jaw tightened. "Cadet Uhura is a sentient being—not a thing that can be won or lost."  
  
Jim rolled his eyes. "Come on, you know I didn't mean it like that."  
  
He put his glass down and took Uhura's drink. "All right; let's go back before you give in to the urge to strangle me. Uhura's waiting for her drink." Not waiting for an answer, Jim headed back to the auditorium.  
  
Entering the box, he handed the glass to Uhura and was about to take his seat when she said, "No. If you want to stay here, fine, but I don't want you anywhere near me. Leave that seat for Spock."  
  
Jim sighed. "Why are you so angry with me? Oh, did I interrupt a date or something? No, of course not—surely you are just friends. After all, he  _is_  your professor."  
  
Uhura pursed her lips and looked away. Jim grinned and flopped down on Spock's seat just as Spock entered the box. The Vulcan didn't say anything about the new seating arrangement and took a seat between them.  
  
A few minutes later, the curtain rose again and Act II began, slow music resonating from the orchestra. Almost immediately, Jim felt his eyelids become heavy. He yawned and closed his eyes, letting the sleep take over him.  
  
The next thing he was aware of was Uhura's voice. "...I'm so sorry Kirk ruined our date."  
  
"Why are you apologizing? You are not at fault."  
  
Uhura laughed a little. "I know, but still. I don't believe Kirk just  _happened_  to be here. Jim Kirk and opera?" She snorted.  
  
Spock was silent for a moment. "He is a highly illogical and somewhat annoying individual, but why do you despise him so much?"  
  
Uhura sighed. "To be honest, I’m not really sure. He just pushes the wrong buttons on me, I guess."  
  
"’Wrong buttons’?" Spock repeated, and Uhura chuckled.  
  
"It's just—everything he does or says rubs me the wrong way. It’s just...Well, let's not talk about Kirk, all right? We still have twenty minutes until Act III. Do you want to go to the lobby?"  
  
"I am not opposed to it, Nyota, but I cannot."  
  
Jim frowned, his sleepy brain slowly processing the new information.  _Nyota?  
_  
"Why?" Uhura said, sounding bewildered.  
  
"Cadet Kirk is clutching my arm."  
  
Jim blinked a few times, only now realizing that he really was clutching Spock's arm like a teddy bear and that his face was pressed against the Vulcan's shoulder.  
  
"Maybe we should wake him up?" Uhura suggested.   
  
Jim smiled into Spock's tuxedo, trying to keep his breathing even and deep. Like hell he was going to 'wake up'.   
  
"Perhaps it would be for the best to not disturb his sleep," Spock said, his voice sounding closer, as if he had turned his head to look at Jim.   
  
"Right—he’d only ruin Act III with more of his giggling. At least he’s quiet now."  
  
Spock didn't answer for a few moments, but finally replied, "Indeed."  
  
Jim smiled. They thought he wouldn't bother them if he was asleep? They were very, very wrong.  
He decided to wait until the next Act.   
  
Finally, the lights went down. Keeping his breathing even, Jim let his hand fall onto Spock's lap—or more precisely, onto his crotch. He felt Spock's whole body go rigid against him, but when Jim didn't move his hand, Spock slowly, very slowly, relaxed.  
  
Jim waited a little while so that Spock wouldn't suspect anything before he muttered something sleepily under his breath and shifted his hand a little, palming Spock's dick through the fabric. Yeah, Vulcans definitely  _had_  dicks, and pretty nice ones—at least this Vulcan did.  
  
Spock inhaled sharply before taking Jim's wrist and carefully moving his hand away.  
  
Jim's bottom lip poked out; Spock was no fun, really. It wasn't that he wanted to grope Spock — it just would have been hilarious to make him squirm when his would-be girlfriend was sitting next to him.  
  
Feeling disappointed, Jim closed his eyes and let the music lull him into sleep.  
  
When he opened his eyes the next time, he found himself lying on top of Spock: his head was on Spock's chest and one leg was thrown over Spock's.  _Shit,_  he had been drooling on Spock's tux. Blushing, Jim wondered why Spock just hadn't pushed him away.  
  
"What time is it?" he muttered, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes.  
  
"00:48," Spock replied evenly, smoothing out some wrinkles on his tuxedo.  
  
"Great," Jim said, glancing at Uhura, who was paying them no attention. "Two minutes and it's over."  
  
"Indeed," Spock said, his gaze on the stage. He sounded a little relieved, but maybe Jim was just imagining it.   
  
The hovercab ride to the Academy grounds was quick and completely boring. The only funny thing about it was Uhura's looking daggers at him. Jim smiled at her innocently. "Great evening, huh? I'm so happy I stumbled into you guys!"  
  
"I do not doubt it, Cadet," Spock said, looking out of the window. Uhura just snorted.   
  
The cab landed and they got out.  
  
Spock turned to Uhura. "Thank you for the evening, Nyota. It was enjoyable."  
  
 _Liar_ , Jim thought, amused, but kept his mouth shut.  
  
Uhura smiled at Spock and shifted closer to him. Jim frowned slightly. It was obvious that she wanted a good-night kiss. Spock leaned down and kissed her on the cheek before looking at Jim.  
  
"Good night, Cadet."  
  
Jim grinned, pointing at his cheek. "What, I'm not getting a good-night kiss, too?"   
  
Spock gave him a long, strange look and headed towards the building the Academy staff lived in.  
  
Jim and Uhura looked at each other.  
  
"Do you want me to walk you to your dorm?" Jim asked, winking.  
  
Uhura glared and marched towards the entrance of her building.  
  
Shrugging, Jim pushed his hands into the pockets and walked slowly to his dorm. All in all, it wasn’t a bad evening.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"Hey, Mandy, wait!"  
  
The girl stopped and turned around. "Hi, Jim," she said, smiling.  
  
Jim smiled back. "How are you? Look, could you do me a small favor?"  
  
She nodded, looking a little confused.  
  
"Would you mind texting me every time Spock invites Uhura out? I'll give you my comm number."   
  
She frowned. "Why?"  
  
"I want to pull a joke on them—just an innocent one, I promise. They'll like it!"   
  
She didn't look convinced. "Well, I dunno, Jim—Nyota doesn't like you much. I don't want to get her into trouble."  
  
"Look, I swear I'm not gonna get them into any trouble with Academy officials. If I wanted to, I would've done it already, right?"  
  
She chewed on her lip. "Yeah, I guess, but…"  
  
Jim smiled at her. "Please? You help me out, and I'll help you with your Astrophysics homework—I heard you’ve been having some problems."  
  
Her face lit up. "Really? I hate Astrophysics!"  
  
"Sure," Jim said. "It's not a big deal—I'm at the top of that class."  
  
She smiled at him. "All right, then."  
  
Jim beamed at her. "Thanks so much, Mandy!" He handed her his PADD. "Type your number in and I'll call you later."  
  
She quickly typed it out and handed it back to him. "See you," she said, smiling.  
  
"Yeah; thanks again!"  
  
Grinning, Jim glanced at his watch and cursed under his breath. He was already late for his Federation History class, so it was pointless to go—Professor Kn'ther never allowed cadets in after the bell. Jim contemplated going to the mess hall, but he wasn't hungry and Bones was in his Xenobiology class—  
  
He smiled. Bones had Xenobiology right now.  
  
Jim lifted his PADD and looked up Bones' schedule. Yep—Xenobiology I, Auditorium 12B, Professor Spock.  
  
Jim jogged to the auditorium and burst into it.   
  
Every cadet turned to look at him, Bones included. Jim beamed at Spock.   
  
Spock did not look amused. "Cadet Kirk, what are you doing here?"  
  
Jim was still beaming at him. "May I sit in your class today, Professor? I don't have a class right now, so I was wondering, you know—I'm very interested in… Xenobiology."  
  
He heard a few cadets snicker.  
  
Spock pursed his lips and looked up something on his PADD.  
  
"In fact, you have Federation History, Cadet," Spock said, leveling him with a look.  
  
"Yeah, but Professor Kn'ther won't let me in because I'm late." Jim gave Spock his best puppy-dog eyes. "Please?"  
  
Spock was silent for a moment before nodding and gesturing him to a seat in the front row. "Very well. You will sit there, and you will behave."  
  
Jim grinned. "Of course, Professor!"  
  
He walked to the front row, winking at Bones. McCoy gave Jim his best  _‘you’re-even-more-of-an-idiot-than-I-thought’_ look.  
  
Jim sat where he had been told to, put his PADD down, and folded his arms on the desk like a good, obedient cadet.  
  
Spock gave him a slightly puzzled look, then resumed his lecture.  
  
Jim glanced around and snorted. Bones was right: half of the class looked absolutely terrified of Spock, while the rest of the class watched him with dreamy eyes. There were also cadets who looked  _both_  terrified and in awe. Thank god Bones was still his grumpy self. All this mooning over Spock was disgusting, really. It didn't matter that Spock looked hot as hell in his black instructor uniform.  
  
"…Cardassians prefer a darker, hotter, and more humid environment than Humans. Externally Cardassians are easily recognizable by having light-gray skin, two thick vertical neck ridges that recede back to the crown of their head and an inverted tear-shaped ridge in the center of the forehead—"  
  
Jim lifted a hand, and Spock paused, raising an eyebrow at him. "Yes, Cadet?"  
  
"I've heard Cardassian neck ridges are sensitive to touch and massaging them stimulates pleasure. Is this true, Professor?" Jim asked, keeping his face as straight as possible.  
  
Spock looked away briefly before meeting his eyes again. "Your information is correct, Cadet. Is there anything else you wished to ask?"   
  
Jim smiled. "Actually, yes, there is, Professor. How did you come across this information? There’s nothing on the subject in Xenobiology books."  
  
A low murmur ran through the auditorium.   
  
Spock's cheeks tinged a soft shade of green. "I have my resources," he said evenly.  
  
Jim smirked at Spock. "Oh, I don't doubt it, Professor." He heard a few muffled chuckles.  
  
Giving him a hard look, Spock clasped his hands behind his back. "If you do not have further questions, Cadet, I will continue the lecture."  
  
Jim smiled. "Please do."  
  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"His face! His face was fucking  _priceless_ , kid! How did you know he’d confirm it?"  
  
Jim chuckled.  "I didn't know. I just wanted to embarrass him, but it turned out even better than I expected."  
  
Bones snorted. "No kidding. A walking computer on the streets, but a freak in the sheets, huh?"  
  
Jim laughed.   
  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
He received a message from Mandy a day later.  
  
 _They’re going to Aldebaran at 10 p.m. Don't tell Nyota I told you._  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Wearing a nice blue shirt and black pants, Jim entered the restaurant at 10:10 p.m. Spotting them at a table off to the side, he headed over to them.  
  
Spock saw him first, since Uhura was facing the wall.  
  
"Hey!" Jim said, beaming at him. "What a lucky coincidence to see you here!"  
  
Uhura's back tensed.  
  
Spock did not look particularly surprised. "Cadet Kirk," he said evenly, inclining his head. "Indeed, what a coincidence."  
  
Jim stepped closer. "Do you, you know…" He looked meaningfully at the Vulcan.  
  
Spock raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you do not wish to sit alone like a ‘loser'?"  
  
"Spock!" Uhura snapped and looked over her shoulder at Jim. "What do you want, Kirk?"  
  
Jim smiled at her softly. Tonight he intended to be nice and win Uhura over. "I don't want to intrude or anything—"  
  
Uhura snorted.  
  
"—but do you mind if I sit with you? I was supposed to meet someone, but they never showed up, so—"  
  
"I don't believe it," Uhura said coldly.  
  
Jim sighed sadly. "Yeah, I can't believe they stood me up, too! So, you don't mind if I sit here?"  
  
"We do—' she started, and Jim grinned. "Great! You’re so gracious, Uhura."  
  
He took a chair from a nearby table and sat between the couple.  
  
Smiling, Jim looked from Uhura to Spock, then back to Uhura. "Have you ordered already?"  
  
Uhura looked like she wanted to punch him.   
  
"No," Spock said, managing to look half-annoyed and half-amused without moving a single muscle on his face. Someone really should tell the guy that his eyes were just too expressive. "We were about to. What do you wish to order?"  
  
Jim shrugged. "I've never been here before. Whatever you're having is fine. I'm not picky."  
  
Uhura snorted. "I never thought you were the kind of man who'd allow someone to order for him."  
  
Jim quickly bit his tongue to prevent himself from making a snide remark. He smiled at her pleasantly. "I'm just easy like that."  
  
Uhura smirked. "Oh, I don't doubt that you’re  _easy_ , Kirk."  
  
Jim pursed his lips.   
  
An awkward silence descended on the table.  
  
Spock held up a hand, signaling a waiter.   
  
“Yes sir, is there anything I can get for you?”  
  
"Two  _Trung'ren Dregc'he_  and…" Spock looked at Uhura.  
  
" _Hrit'sra Ferhnjio_ , please," she said, smiling at the waiter.   
  
"Any drinks?" the waiter asked.  
  
Spock nodded. "A bottle of Enemy's Blood and…" he looked at Jim with a raised eyebrow, and Jim nodded, "…and a Risan  _mai-tai._ "  
  
Uhura looked at them with a slightly puzzled expression.  
  
"And I will have a Silven Surprise," she said to the waiter, and he left.  
  
Ignoring Jim, Uhura turned to Spock with a smile. "So we were talking about your mother. Does she visit you here often?"  
  
"Indeed," Spock said. "In fact, she is going to visit Earth in three-point-two weeks."  
  
Uhura smiled. "That's great! I would like to meet her some day—I'm curious to meet the first and only woman married to a Vulcan."  
  
"Subtle," Jim muttered, and Uhura's smile faded. She slowly turned her head to him -- if looks could kill, Jim would have already been six feet under.   
  
Jim raised his palms. "All right, all right, I'm shutting up." He turned to Spock. "Your mother is human?"  
  
Spock nodded with a guarded expression in his eyes.  
  
Jim smiled. "Really? That's awesome! It must have been interesting to grow up with parents of two completely different cultures."  
  
Something flickered in Spock's dark eyes. "It was…quite fascinating."   
  
Jim tilted his head, eyeing him curiously. "What language was your first word in? Vulcan or Standard?"  
  
Spock's lips twitched a little. "There is no shared opinion on the subject. My mother is convinced that it was the Standard word 'Mum', but my father told me that it was the Vulcan word meaning 'mine'."  
  
Jim chuckled. "And who do you believe?"   
  
"I am inclined to believe my father, since Vulcans do not lie."  
  
The waiter brought their order and set their plates in front of them. Jim looked down at his plate curiously. "Is this vegetarian?"  
  
"Indeed," Spock said.  
  
Hoping he wasn't allergic to it, Jim tried it tentatively. His eyes drifted shut as he savored the taste.  
"Mmm," he moaned when he finished chewing. "This is delicious!"  
  
When he looked at Spock, the Vulcan quickly looked down at his own plate. "I am pleased that you like it," he said evenly.  
  
After that, they ate mostly in silence for about twenty minutes when Jim remembered that he was supposed to win Uhura over.   
  
He turned to her with a smile. "So, how are your classes? You’re at the top of the class in Xenolinguistics, right? How many languages do you speak?"  
  
For the first time that evening, Uhura stopped glaring at him. Jim mentally congratulated himself.  
  
"I'm fluent in thirteen Federation languages and am proficient in seventeen others," she said.   
  
Jim whistled quietly, impressed. "Wow. I have no words. I'd like to have you as my Communication officer some day."   
  
Uhura smirked at him. "Thanks, but no thanks."  
  
Jim bit his lip and took a sip from his cocktail.  
  
"Nyota, you are being unnecessarily rude," Spock said, and Jim almost choked on his drink. Feeling a little warm, Jim bumped his knee against Spock's, flashing him a smile and mouthing 'thanks'.  
  
The Vulcan eyed him for a few moments, but didn't say anything.  
  
Uhura put down her fork with a clank and they both turned to her.  
  
"I think I’m full," she said, her smile a little forced. "If you don't mind, I'd like to leave, Spock."   
  
"I do not mind," Spock said and signaled the waiter to bring their bill.   
  
"I kinda wanted dessert," Jim muttered.  
  
"So you can still have dessert  _after_  we are gone," Uhura said to him with a sweet smile.  
  
Jim smiled back just as sweetly. "Thanks, but no thanks. It's dark out there and I don't want to wander the streets alone. I'd rather go with you guys."  
  
Uhura smile grew even sweeter. "Of course."  
  
The waiter arrived with the bill and handed it to Spock.Jim frowned noticing that Spock paid for them all. He nudged Spock's knee.  
  
"Hey, are you paying for me? I can pay for myself, you know."   
  
"I am certain that you can," Spock said and turned back to the waiter.  
  
"I'm not a  _girl_!" Jim muttered.  
  
Uhura huffed. "Wow, Kirk. Just wow. I didn't think it was possible that I could think less of you, but—"  
  
"Uh-huh," Jim said distractedly, watching Spock put his credit card back into his pocket with long pale fingers that contrasted nicely against the black fabric.  
  
"Do you own any clothes that aren’t black?" Jim asked.   
  
Spock raised an eyebrow at him and stood up. "What is wrong with black?"  
  
Chuckling, Jim got to his feet too. "Nothing. It's just... It's good to wear some  _color_  sometimes, you know."  
  
"If you must know, I own clothes of other colors," Spock said as they walked towards the exit with Uhura in front of them.  
  
Jim smirked, bumping their shoulders together. "Let me guess: it's your blue science uniform, right?"  
  
He saw a corner of Spock's mouth twitch. "Indeed. However, I do own casual clothes of other colors."  
  
"Really?" Jim said, smiling at him. "And what colors are they? Different shades of black? Gray and brown?"  
  
"You are correct," Spock said, opening the door for Jim. "There is a reason why Vulcans prefer dark and neutral colors—Vulcan eyesight is far more acute than Humans' and we are able to recognize more color frequencies and perceive more clearly at a distance. Therefore, bright colors are very distracting to our eyes. "  
  
Jim chuckled. "I actually feel better knowing that you don't like my eyes because they are  _distracting_." He took a deep breath of the spring air and looked around. "Wait, where's Uhura?"  
  
"How kind of you to remember me," Uhura said from where she was leaning against the wall next to the entrance. She stepped closer to Spock, and the Vulcan offered her an arm.   
  
"Would you like to walk to the Academy?" he asked. She nodded, taking his arm.  
  
"Well thanks, Spock, I’d like to walk, too," Jim muttered, shivering a little.  
  
They slowly walked to the Academy. What was normally a short walk seemed like a small eternity tonight, because Jim was sort of freezing—he’d thought they would take a hovercab, so he didn't bother taking a jacket.  
  
About halfway to the Academy, Spock turned to look at him. Jim couldn't see him well because it was pretty dark, but he seemed to be frowning.  
  
"Cadet Kirk, are you cold? You are trembling."  
  
"Um, a little?"  
  
"The clothes you are wearing are unsuitable for the weather," Spock said.  
  
Jim snorted. "Yeah, thanks for informing me."  
  
Spock stopped and started unbuttoning his jacket.   
  
"What are you doing?" Jim and Uhura asked almost at the same time.  
  
"That is only logical," Spock said to Jim, shrugging the jacket off and handing it to him. "You have upcoming examinations next week and cannot allow yourself to be ill."  
  
Jim looked dubiously at the thin shirt Spock was wearing.  
  
"But you’ll freeze, Spock!" Uhura voiced his doubts. "You need much higher temperatures than us!"  
  
"You are mistaken, Nyota. While it is true that Vulcans prefer significantly higher temperatures than Humans, we can also adjust better to significantly lower ones. Vulcan is a desert, and nights are very cold in deserts."  
  
"Well, if you’re sure..." Jim said, taking the offered jacket from Spock. He slid into the jacket and sighed as it settled on his body, smiling at Spock. "Thanks!"  
  
Spock nodded, hands clasped behind his back, and they resumed the walk.   
  
The jacket was warm and smelled amazing, and the rest of the walk to the Academy was too short for Jim's liking.  
  
In the Academy courtyard, Spock turned to them.  
  
"Cadets," he said, inclining his head slightly.   
  
Jim chuckled. "You just had a date with us—don't you think it's weird to call us cadets? Unless you’re into the professor/cadet thing, of course."  
  
"Spock did not have a date with  _us_ ," Uhura said pointedly.  
  
Grinning, Jim shrugged. "Whatever you want to call it, sweetheart."  
  
"Good night, Cadets," Spock said, looking at him.  
  
Jim laughed. "Oh, really? So you  _are_  into it, huh?"  
  
"I do not know what you are talking about, Cadet Kirk."  
  
Jim smiled. "Just like you don't know about Cardassian neck ridges, right?"  
  
Spock's lips twitched. "Indeed."  
  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"So, how’s operation  _Taming of the Shrew_  going?"  
  
Stretching and yawning, Jim sat up on his bed. "Good."  
  
"Good? That's all?"  
  
Rubbing at his eyes, Jim turned to look at Bones. "What else do you want to know?"  
  
McCoy was frowning. "You aren’t going to rave about Uhura's legs or hips? Are you well, kid?"  
  
"What for? You already know all about her."  
  
McCoy snorted. "That's never stopped you before."  
  
"Maybe I'm growing up," Jim said, jumping onto the floor.   
  
"Who are you, and what have you done to my roommate?"  
  
"You are so funny, Bones."  
  
"Spill it, Jimbo."  
  
Jim sighed, rolling his eyes. "What do you want to know? We had dinner, Spock paid, then we walked back to the Academy. I was freezing, so Spock gave me his jacket—"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Jim winced. "Did you need to yell, Bones? I have a hangover; probably shouldn't have drunk Spock's  _Enemy's Blood_."  
  
"You must be still drunk, then. No way the pointy-eared bastard gave you his jacket, no  _fucking_  way!"  
  
Jim smiled, pulling clean underwear from the drawer. "He totally did—speaking of which, remind me to return it later. And he's a pretty decent guy, Bones. I feel a little guilty that I'm cock-blocking him, you know. If I weren't there, Uhura would've been all over him. Okay, I'm going to the shower— What?"  
  
Bones was looking at him like he had a second head.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Jim found Spock in an empty classroom seated behind the desk. "Hey!"  
  
"Cadet Kirk," Spock said, not looking away from his PADD.  
  
Settling on the desk next to him, Jim put Spock's jacket at his side. Spock looked up to meet his eyes.   
"Please, remove yourself from my desk, Cadet."  
  
"U-huh," Jim replied, smiling at him, but didn't move. He gestured towards the jacket. "I brought your jacket. Thanks again."  
  
He got a pointed stare as a reply. "I told you to remove yourself from my desk, Mister Kirk."  
  
Jim gave him an innocent look. "Why, Spock? Am I making you uncomfortable?"   
  
"Cadet—"  
  
He smirked. "You know, there's something about the way you say 'cadet' that reminds me of my old professor/cadet fantasy."  
  
Spock simply stared at him. "Is there any particular reason you are giving me this information?" he asked finally.  
  
Jim grinned. "Yep. Let's have kinky Professor-Cadet sex on your desk. I'd even bottom for you."  
  
Spock dropped his stylus, his cheeks flushing green.  
  
Jim burst out laughing. "Fuck, I wish you could see your face right now!"  
  
Spock closed his eyes briefly, then gave him a look that could only be described as exasperated. "You have a very strange sense of humor, Mister Kirk."  
  
Jim winked at him. "Who said I was kidding?"  
  
Spock eyed him.   
  
"You are being flirtatious," he said with a note of surprise in his voice. "I do not understand why you are behaving in such a way. We both know that you desire Cadet Uhura."  
  
Jim leaned back on his palms. "First of all, I wouldn't say I  _desire_  her. She's hot and all, but that's about it. I was never serious about her. Second, I've already told you that my flirting is harmless. I see someone attractive, I flirt with them. It doesn't have to mean a thing."  
  
Spock seemed to consider his words.  
  
"You find me attractive," he said with no expression at all.  
  
Jim felt his face grow hot.   
  
"Well, duh," he said with a chuckle. "I'm not blind. Everyone thinks you’re hot, even Bones, and that’s saying something considering, he can't stand you..."  
  
"Most curious," Spock said, tilting his head.   
  
Licking his lips, Jim looked away. "What? Don't you find people attractive in an abstract way?"  
  
"No," Spock said. Just as Jim was about to call him on his bullshit, Spock continued, "I do not find individuals attractive in an abstract way. I may find them aesthetically pleasing as such, while the word 'attractive' means ‘appealing to the senses or mind through beauty, form, character, having power to arouse interest and possessing the ability to draw.’ What attracts one person does not always attract another. Therefore, attraction cannot be abstract. It is either there or not."  
  
Jim rolled his eyes. "Stop being so literal, Spock! You know what I meant."  
  
Spock's eyes had an amused glimmer. "No, I do not, and cease addressing me so casually, Cadet. I am an instructor of the Starfleet Academy and your superior officer."  
  
Jim chuckled. "What should I call you—Commander? I can do that, but I like your name. Do you know your name rhymes with c—"  
  
"I advise you not to continue that sentence."  
  
"Or what?" Jim held Spock's gaze. He felt warm and good, and—  
  
"Simply… do not do that. Also,  _remove_  yourself from my desk, Mister Kirk. I have a lecture in five minutes."  
  
Jim grinned. "Spock, cock, Spock's cock—" He was cut off when Spock stood up abruptly, and placing his hands on Jim's waist,  _lifted_  him off the desk as if he weighed nothing, and put him on the floor.   
  
"Dismissed, Cadet."  
  
Jim made a sad, pouty face. "You're still no fun. But fine, all right, I'm going." Spock couldn't quite hide his relief, so Jim added with a beaming smile, "Don't worry, though—I'll be back!"  
  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"...Cadet. Cadet Kirk. Mister Kirk."  
  
Jim smiled sleepily and opened his eyes. Spock was looking down at him with a frown. Jim gave him a big happy smile.  
  
Spock stared at him strangely. "Cadet Kirk, if you insist on sitting in my class, you should at least give me the courtesy of staying awake during my lectures."  
  
Jim blinked a few times and looked around. Shit, every goddamn cadet was looking at him with a mix of pity and amusement. Jim felt himself blush.   
  
He looked back at Spock and smiled at him sheepishly. "Um… I'm sorry? It won't happen again, promise. I slept next to nothing last night because of an exam."  
  
Spock stared at him for a few moments. He cleared his throat. "Very well," he said roughly, and strode to his desk.  
  
A murmur ran through the room.  
  
"Holy cow, I can't believe you're still alive and breathing," the girl sitting next to him whispered. "You know what happened the only other time someone fell asleep during the Commander's class?"  
  
"What?" Jim whispered back.  
  
"The poor guy literally  _pissed_  himself when Spock reprimanded him in front of the entire class!"  
  
Jim laughed. "No way!"  
  
" _Cadet Kirk_."   
  
 _Oops._

_***_

_They’re attending the Festival of Old Movies. The movie is called "Pleasantville"— Babylon center, 20.00 p.m._

 

 

"Bones, we’re going to a movie!" Jim announced happily. He didn't have any exams tomorrow and neither did Bones.  
  
"Fuck off," his friend muttered, nose buried in his PADD.   
  
Jim found McCoy's jeans on the floor and threw them at him. "Put them on, Bones! We need to relax after the week of exams!"  
  
McCoy glared at him. "I'm  _studying_ , Jim.  _Some_  of us have to actually work for our grades, you know. I have a very difficult exam on Monday."  
  
Jim pulled a black tee-shirt over his head and cast a glance at his friend. "Stop grumbling and get up, Bones! We have a date to destroy!"  
  
McCoy snorted. "Why do you need me for this? You were doing just fine on your own."  
  
Jim slipped into his favorite black jeans and looked at himself in the mirror. "I don't want Spock and Uhura to think I'm some kind of loser who has nothing better to do but stalk them. You'll be my cover."  
  
McCoy snickered. "Kid, you really have nothing better to do but stalk them. And quit admiring your own ass, you self-loving pervert."  
  
Jim smiled. "So you’re going, right?"  
  
  
* * *  
  
"You know, our seats aren't there," McCoy grumbled as they walked towards Spock and Uhura.   
  
"Who cares?"   
  
"I'm sure people who bought tickets for those seats would."  
  
"Would you stop stressing, Bones?" Jim smiled at Spock, who was watching him approach.  
  
"Hey," Jim said, sliding into the seat next to him.  
  
"Cadet Kirk," Spock said, his eyes full of amusement.  
  
"I can't believe it," Uhura muttered from Spock's other side.  
  
"Commander," Bones said stiffly, awkwardly standing in the aisle. There was no seat for him—Jim had taken the seat at the end of the row.  
  
Spock's gaze snapped to him, as if he only now noticed Bones was there.   
  
"Cadet McCoy," he said coldly, looking between Bones and Jim with an expression that Jim couldn't place.   
  
"Mind moving a bit?" Bones asked Spock and Uhura.   
  
Spock pursed his lips briefly.  
  
"It is recommended for everyone to sit in their seats, Mister McCoy. If you wish, you can take a seat on the other side of Cadet Uhura. "  
  
Bones scowled at him, but still sat down next to Uhura.  
  
Jim nudged Spock with his elbow. "You were  _mean._ "  
  
"I was not," Spock said, meeting his eyes and holding his gaze. "I only stated the truth."  
  
Jim chuckled. "You totally were!"  
  
Spock did not say anything for a few moments. "What is Cadet McCoy doing here?"  
  
"He’s my friend," Jim replied. He placed his popcorn in his lap, tossing a piece in the air and catching it in his mouth. "My best friend."  
  
"You are wearing black," Spock said suddenly.  
  
Jim blinked before grinning. "How nice of you to notice! It's for you, you know. Didn't want to distract you."  
  
Spock raised an eyebrow at him. "Indeed?"  
  
Jim smirked. "No. Just wanted to show you that I can totally pull off black, too."  
  
Spock's gaze swept over him from head to toe and back before settling on his face.  
  
"You can," he said shortly and turned to the screen. It was hot in the theater, Jim decided, shifting his gaze to the screen, as well.   
  
The lights went out.  
  
Unlike the opera, Jim actually liked the movie enough to watch it.   
  
Halfway through, Jim turned to Spock, snickering at Skip's  _I think I might be ill_  line. He found Spock watching him intently. Jim raised his eyebrows. "Hey, are you even watching the movie?"  
  
"Of course I am," Spock said.  
  
Jim shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "Really? You could've fooled me."  
  
"You should not talk with your mouth full."  
  
"Don't look if you don't like it."  
  
Jim smiled when Spock didn't look away. Actually, Spock looked sort of hungry.  
  
"Do you wanna?" he offered, grabbing a handful of popcorn and raising his hand to Spock's mouth.  
  
Spock's gaze shifted from his face to the hand.  
  
"Don't worry, vegetarians can eat it too," Jim said reassuringly, the tips of his fingers touching Spock's lips.  
  
Spock pulled away abruptly. "No, thank you," he said, his voice cracking a little.  
  
Jim gave him a confused look before tossing the handful of popcorn into his own mouth and thoroughly licking his fingers clean—they were tingling for some reason. Jim hoped he wasn't allergic to some ingredient, in which case there was always Bones' hypos.  
  
He yawned. "Damn, I'm so tired. Exams are killing me."  
  
"It is not surprising," Spock said. "Your course load is quite heavy."  
  
"How do you know this?" Jim asked.  
  
"It is common knowledge. At the moment, you are the only cadet who is planning to complete a four-year program in three years."  
  
Jim moved closer to him, resting his cheek against the back of his seat. "Actually, I was wondering…You’re just a few years older than me, but you're already a Commander. How come?"  
  
"I enlisted in Starfleet at seventeen," Spock said quietly, "and finished the Academy in two years. After graduation, I served on various starships and bases throughout the Federation for four years, quickly advancing the ranks. My appointment at Starfleet Academy is temporary since I am assigned as Science Officer to the  _USS Enterprise_ ; when the ship is ready, I shall leave San Francisco."  
  
"The  _Enterprise_ ," Jim said thoughtfully. "So, two more years to go?"  
  
"Indeed," Spock agreed, looking at him. "You are graduating in two years."  
  
Jim smiled at him, feeling warm and excited, even though he wasn't sure why. "What a coincidence, huh?"  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"You say 'indeed' a lot, you know that, right?" Jim murmured, and damn, he couldn't stop smiling. Why couldn't he stop smiling?  
  
"Indeed," Spock said, and even in the semi-darkness Jim could see that his lips were twitching.  
  
Jim chuckled and closed his eyes. He felt hot, comfy, sleepy and—yeah, horny. How long had it been since he got laid? Too long.   
  
"Aren't you tired, too?" he asked, nudging Spock's leg with his own. He left it there; Spock didn't seem to mind.  
  
"Negative."   
  
"I want to be a Vulcan when I grow up."  
  
"The absurdity of the statement aside, you would have been—"  
  
"A shitty Vulcan, I know. I kinda suck at being logical and everything."  
  
"I must agree."  
  
"And I can't lift one eyebrow to save my life. Or is this a personal quirk of yours?"  
  
"From my observations, eighty-three-point-six-seven—"  
  
Jim laughed. "Jesus, Spock, I'm already sleepy."  
  
Someone hissed at him to be quiet.   
  
Pouting, Jim opened his eyes and looked at Spock. "Everyone hates me," he said in a stage whisper. "You don't hate me, do you?"  
  
"Be quiet, Jim," Spock said softly.  
  
Jim felt his face warm up. Why the hell was he  _blushing_?  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
After the movie, they decided to go to a pizzeria. All right, Jim was the one who decided that he  _absolutely_  needed to have pizza, Bones agreed, Uhura just shrugged and Spock raised an eyebrow at him, which Jim chose to interpret as agreement.  
  
Spock pulled out a chair for Jim, then one for Uhura, before seating himself between them. Bones looked somewhat baffled as he sat down on Jim's other side.  
  
"So," Jim said, opening the menu. "Who wants what? I wanna try an Orion pizza—"  
  
"Kid, it's not, you know, a  _pizza_  if it is not an Earth recipe."  
  
" _Bones_ , don't be so xenophobic!"  
  
"I think I will have a Margherita Pizza," Uhura said, looking at the menu.   
  
Bones gave a small smile. "Well, it's great to see at least some people have some taste. I'm having a Margherita too."  
  
" _Boring_ ," Jim grumbled and put a hand on Spock's arm. Looked him into the eye. "Spock, you agree with me, right? I'm pretty sure Orion Pizza is vegetarian. We can share. Would you like to share?"  
  
Spock eyed him for a few seconds, looked away briefly, then looked back.  
"I am amenable to your suggestion.”  
  
Jim beamed at him.  
  
  
* * *  
  
Jim and Bones walked slowly to the dorm building. "Not a bad evening, huh?" Jim said, smiling.   
  
"Uh-huh," McCoy muttered, his eyebrows furrowed. He seemed to be deep in thought. "Jim."  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"You didn't notice anything odd about tonight?" Bones said slowly.  
  
Jim looked at him. "Nope. What do you mean?"  
  
Bones gave him a strange look before shaking his head.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
* * *  
  
 _They’re going out tonight, but I don't know where. I think Nyota started suspecting something. Sorry._  
  
"Shit," Jim muttered, looking at his communicator.  
  
"What?" Bones said from where he was lying on his bed. Jim sighed, tossing the communicator onto the nightstand.   
  
"They’re going out tonight, but Mandy doesn't know any details. And it looks like Uhura won't tell her anything anymore."  
  
"Maybe it's for the best, you know," Bones said.  
  
Jim's gaze snapped to him. "What?"  
  
Bones closed his eyes. "You know, I've been thinking. Maybe we should just forget about the bet… It's kind of stupid, actually. From what I've seen, you are nowhere near seducing Uhura."   
  
"What? No!"  
  
"Come on, Jim. Don't be so stubborn! I know how you hate to lose, so let's make a deal: I'll give you the goddamn bottles and you'll forget about the whole thing."  
  
"No!"   
  
"Why not?"  
  
Jim stared at McCoy for a moment, at a loss for words. "Because…because it is the matter of pride, Bones! I told you I could do that, so…"  
  
McCoy sighed and looked at him. "Jim, do you honestly think that you’ll win Uhura over by being the third wheel on her dates?"  
  
Jim rubbed the back of his neck. "Um…"  
  
"See?" Bones said smugly. "You're just wasting your time and making their lives miserable. What's the point in continuing this?"  
  
"But—"   
  
"Admit it—I'm right, Jim."  
  
Jim slouched down in his chair and stared at his lap. "Maybe, but—"  
  
"Look, just put yourself in Uhura's place. Imagine that you badly want to go out with the hobgoblin, but some annoying guy is always hovering around. Would you be happy?"  
  
Jim thought for a while before admitting, "No." He would  _not_  be happy.  
  
"So don't be  _that_  guy, Jim! I know you're not the dick you want everyone to think you are. You're better than this!"  
  
"But Bones—"  
  
"No, don't you 'Bones' me, kid. Do you know how incredibly awkward the other day was? I had to entertain poor Uhura the whole time because you monopolized all the attention of her date!"  
  
"What? I didn't!" Jim said indignantly.  
  
"Yes, you did! I hardly remember him talking to Uhura throughout the movie."  
  
Jim frowned. Now, when he thought about it, he couldn't remember, either.   
  
"See? Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd think that  _you_  were Spock's date, not Uhura. And Spock only proved to me that he was a cold-hearted emotionless robot by completely ignoring his own date. Or maybe he's just socially retarded, who knows."  
  
"He's not emotionless," Jim muttered, running a hand over his forehead. "All right, Bones. I promise I'll think about it."  
  
McCoy sighed in relief. "Finally. And quit sulking. Even if Uhura and Spock hook up tonight, it won't be the end of the world. Uhura isn't the only hot girl out there."  
  
"Yeah," Jim said flatly. Spock had told him that he wouldn't have sex with a cadet, but still. His stomach hurt just from the thought of Spock and Uhura  _kissing_.  
  
  
* * *  
  
Jim rubbed at his eyes, yawning. Shit, he badly wanted to sleep. He hardly slept last night, thinking about Spock and Uhura, of what they might have been doing.  
  
"Cadet Kirk." He heard the familiar voice and whirled around. Jim grinned, meeting Spock's dark eyes. "Hey."  
  
Spock's gaze swept over him. "Are you well, Cadet?"  
  
Jim frowned, confused. "Um, yeah? Why are you asking?"  
  
"You were not in attendance yesterday," Spock said stiffly. "I thought you might be unwell."   
  
Jim stared at him for a moment before smiling slowly. "You expected me to be there?"   
  
Spock looked away, his cheeks flushing a light shade of green. "I based my conclusion on the fact that you attended all our previous meetings. It was only logical that you would attend that one as well."  
  
Grinning, Jim put an arm around Spock's shoulders, ignoring the stares from passing cadets. "You were waiting for me to show up, huh?"  
  
Spock looked at him straight in the eye, their faces just a few inches apart. He said nothing—just stared at him with black eyes. Weren't Spock's eyes brown?  
  
Jim wet his lips, feeling the warmth in his belly shift lower and hotter. He wanted—  
  
"Jim!"  
  
Jim pulled away from Spock quickly. Spock clasped his hands behind his back and nodded stiffly at him. "Cadet," he said before disappearing in the crowd.  
  
Jim took a deep breath, his face strangely hot.  
  
"What the  _fuck_  were you doing?" Bones grumbled when he reached Jim.  
  
"Nothing," Jim said, brushing a hand through his hair.  
  
Bones scowled. "Don't give me that bullshit, kid! It looked like you two were about to  _kiss_  in the middle of the corridor!"  
  
Jim tugged at his collar.  
  
"You have quite an imagination, Bones. Sorry, I've got to go."  
  
"Jim—"  
  
"I've got to go!"  
  
  
* * *  
  
Wearing his work-out clothes, Jim entered the Academy gym and looked around. No grumpy doctors in sight.   
  
So far, he’d been successfully avoiding Bones by rising with the sun and sneaking into the room when his friend was already asleep, but Jim knew his luck wouldn't last for long. It wasn't that he  _wanted_  to avoid Bones, necessarily—he just wasn't ready to face his friend yet. Jim had to figure out what the hell was going on first with him and Spock.   
  
He needed to think logically. Ignoring the small voice in the back of his mind making fun of him— _Ha! Jimmy Kirk and logic?_ —Jim considered the matter carefully.  
  
Fact: they had almost kissed in the corridor. At least, that was what Jim thought. So, what could it mean?   
  
There were only a few possibilities. He could have been just horny. It was definitely a possibility, since Jim hadn't got laid in over a month, but the problem was, ever since the near-kiss two days ago, he had been jerking off thinking about Spock—sucking him off, fucking him, getting fucked on all fours, on his back, against a wall, on Spock's desk. That was probably saying something.   
  
So, he wanted to have sex with Spock. Jim would have been fine with that explanation, but unfortunately, it was a little more complicated than that.  
  
The thing was…Jim hadn't wanted to consider that possibility, but…  _Fuck it,_  he could be, and  _would be_ , honest in his own head.   
  
He might have a thing for Spock. Like, a huge thing.  
  
Thinking back, Jim couldn't believe how oblivious he'd been. It was kind of embarrassing that he hadn't noticed it sooner. It would have been less embarrassing if Jim had been straight, but he didn’t even have that excuse. Well, to tell the truth, he considered himself mostly straight because it had been over four years since the last time he had had a fling with a guy; Jim figured it had been just some teenage experimental stage and he wasn't that interested in males.  
  
But apparently, he was wrong. Spock proved him wrong.   
  
Jim could only smile, remembering what Spock had told him about the meaning of 'attraction'.  
  
Take Uhura: she was gorgeous and Jim would totally hit that, but he felt no real attraction to her.  
  
What he felt towards Spock was so much more. Jim had never felt like that even when he was a teenager: all that blushing and butterflies in his stomach, the urge to be funny, to  _please_  the object of his affection, and the constant urge to touch. It was such a weird and exciting feeling at the same time, and, frankly, it freaked Jim out.

A little. A lot.  
  
Jim sighed. Dammit, what was he supposed to do now? He wasn’t sure if Spock and Uhura were seriously dating. He _thought_  that Spock wanted him, too, but he might be wrong.   
  
Jim was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of cheering and looked up.   
  
There was an unusually big crowd gathered around the sparring area.   
  
Jim walked over, feeling curious, and positively  _gaped_  when he saw what was going on.   
  
Spock was sparring with a huge Arbazan dude. Well, not so much 'sparring' as beating the living crap out of the guy.  
  
Jim could only watch, mouth slack, as the huge Arbazan fell on the mat over and over. Spock's face was stony and his breathing wasn't even elevated, but somehow Jim could tell that he was really pissed off at something or someone.   
  
It probably shouldn't have turned Jim on, but he was too far gone to really consider any attraction towards Spock as some sort of anomaly anymore.   
  
Finally, the Arbazan lifted his hands in defeat. He could barely stand and had to have his friends carry him off the mat.   
  
Spock straightened and turned his head, looking straight at Jim—who blushed, feeling like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He walked over to Spock.  
  
"Poor guy," he said with a smile, hoping his hard-on wasn't too obvious. "What did he do to deserve  _that_?"  
  
Spock pushed his hands into the pockets of the loose black pants he was wearing. Jim sort of loved the way those pants hung low on his lean hips, the way the white tank showed the contours of his muscles.  
  
"Nothing," Spock said. "We were merely sparring."  
  
Jim raised his eyebrows. "Really? I was going to offer to spar, but if  _that_ ’s your idea of sparring—"  
  
"You wished to spar with me?" Spock said, eyeing him dubiously.  
  
Jim was genuinely insulted. "Hey, I'm fit!"  
  
"I am three times stronger than you. I can easily, as the colloquialism states, ‘snap you in half,’" Spock said matter-of-factly.  
  
Jim lifted a finger and poked Spock's chest. "You sparred with the Arbazan and they’re no stronger than Humans."  
  
Spock looked down at Jim's finger. "That particular Arbazan is much stronger than an average Human male."  
  
Jim put on a mock-offended expression. "Are you saying I’m  _average_?"  
  
"I said no such thing," Spock said. Raising a hand, he laid it over Jim's and removed it from his chest. "I meant that your size—"  
  
"What's wrong with my size?"  
  
Spock gave him an inscrutable look. "There is nothing wrong with your size. Your size is perfect."  
  
Jim stared at him.  _Perfect_? For what?  
  
"Yeah?" he said with a devilish smile. "So, since I'm perfect-sized and everything, let's do it."  
  
Spock's eyes darkened. "What do you wish for us to do?" he said, his voice sounding rough.  
  
Jim's cock twitched. He frantically tried to remember what he meant.   
  
"Um, to spar. Let's spar."  
  
Spock exhaled sharply.   
  
"Very well," he said and his eyes flickered with amusement. "But I will be gentle with you."  
  
Jim laughed. "Don't you dare!"  
  
By the time he was on the mat for the third time, Jim really hoped Spock was  _not_  going easy on him, because otherwise it would be downright humiliating.   
  
Breathing hard, he looked up at Spock, who was straddling his hips.  
  
"Do you yield?" Spock said in a low voice, breathing hard as well.   
  
 _At least I made him work for it_ , Jim thought and smiled, holding eye contact.   
  
Jim could hear his heart beating like crazy in his ears. He licked his lips, his cock twitching. "Never."  
  
"You should," Spock said hoarsely, leaning down.  
 _  
Fuck, yeah.  
_  
The sound of laughter broke the air and they jerked away from each other.   
  
Jim sat up and took a deep breath. Right. There were other people in the gym.   
  
Professors and cadets were not supposed to be kissing, groping or having sex in the Academy gym, but Jim was having a hard time convincing his dick of that.  
  
Spock got to his feet, a muscle in his jaw twitching. He looked pissed off again as he picked up a long black robe from the floor and threw it over his shoulders, concealing the bulge under his pants.  
  
They looked at each other for a few moments.  
  
"Good night, Cadet," Spock said finally, his face an emotionless mask once more.  
  
Jim smiled a little. "Good night.  _Spock._ "  
  
He sat there long after Spock had left, thinking. It was pretty obvious that Spock wanted him, too, but what about Uhura?   
 _  
Maybe we should have one big threesome_ , Jim thought with a chuckle, but the idea didn't sit well with him at all. In fact, he hated even the mere thought, a sick, uneasy feeling twisting his insides. He didn't want to share Spock with anyone.  
  
Jim snorted at himself. He hadn't known he was the jealous type. Bones would laugh his ass off if he found out.  
  
Goddamit, this was confusing as fuck. He had to think of something, and fast.   
  
  
  
* * *  
  
"Kirk," said the familiar voice, breaking the silence of the library.  
  
Jim he looked up from the notes he was studying for his last exam of the semester. He smiled at her warily. "Uhura! Long time no see!"  
  
She folded her arms on her chest, giving him a cold glare. "I need to know what you’re playing at, Kirk."  
  
Jim raised his eyebrows. "Pardon me?"  
  
"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. I know you’re naive, but you’re not stupid."  
  
"Well, thanks."  
  
"What were you trying to accomplish by ruining my dates with Spock?"  
  
Jim lifted his palms defensively. "Hey, I didn't go on your last date, right?"  
  
She pursed her lips. "No, you didn't. But you still managed to completely destroy it."  
  
Jim frowned, genuinely confused. "Huh?"  
  
Uhura took a deep breath.  
  
"Kirk, do you know how long I've wanted a date with Spock? Over a  _year._  And when I finally had a real date with him—without the third wheels tagging along—it turned out to be the worst date of my life because Spock spent all the time wondering ‘where Cadet Kirk might be,' being distracted and being a shitty date."  
  
Jim winced for Uhura's sake, trying to hide how happy he was.  
  
"What do you want me to say?" he asked. "That I'm sorry? All right, I'm sorry. Happy now?"  
  
Uhura sighed. "I don't want your insincere apologies, Kirk. I want an honest, clear answer. Why were you trying to ruin my dates with Spock? When I start dating again, I don't need—"  
  
"Wait, you guys broke things off?"  
  
Uhura gave him a look.  "There was nothing to 'break off,' thanks to you, but yes. We decided we weren't suited to each other."  
  
"I thought you really liked him," Jim said, trying to keep a smile from his face. "How could you move on so fast?"  
  
She huffed. "Yes, I really liked Spock—and still do—but I'm not going to cry rivers. I have my pride, you know. I’ll never settle for being someone's second best. I'm gorgeous and smart and there are hundreds of guys who want me, so I'm not going to fight for a guy who wants someone else. And I'm not a fool—I know a smitten male when I see one."  
  
Feeling very warm all of a sudden, Jim smiled. "Spock's smitten with me? How do you know this?"  
  
She snorted. "Give me some credit, Kirk. I can read the body language of fifty-six species, including Humans and Vulcans. And I'm still waiting for the answer."  
  
 _Spock likes me.  
_  
"I'm talking to you, Kirk. Are you even listening to me?"  
  
Right. She was asking him something.  
  
"I made a bet with Bones,'' Jim said, looking at her warily. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do it again."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "And why am I not surprised?" She snorted and turned around to leave.  
  
"Uhura," Jim said quietly. She looked over her shoulder. "I am really sorry. I never planned for this to happen."  
  
She held his gaze for a few moments before nodding.  
  
Suddenly, she smirked. "Oh, and you  _do_  know that Spock won't sleep with you while he’s still an Academy instructor?" Her lips curled in a positively evil grin. "Happy blue balls, Kirk!"   
  
Jim scowled as she strode away.  
  
  
  
* * *

  
  
  
"Is Professor Spock in?"  
  
The doorman looked at him suspiciously before checking on his PADD. "Yes; he's in his apartment."  
  
Smiling, Jim handed him an envelope. "Could you please give this to him? It's very important."

  
  
* * *  
  
  
When Jim emerged from the bathroom, he was met by McCoy's scowl.  
  
"You! You've been avoiding me, kid."  
  
Wincing, Jim walked to the wardrobe and pulled out his black evening suit.  "Bones, can we talk later? I've got to go."  
  
McCoy narrowed his eyes. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Opera," Jim muttered, dressing quickly.   
  
"You promised that you'd—"  
  
"It's not what you think," Jim said, buttoning up his white shirt. "I'm going on a real date."  
  
"With whom?"  
  
Jim smiled sheepishly. "Spock?"   
  
He expected a horrified look, but Bones just sighed. "So, it's true, then? You have a thing for the hobgoblin?"  
  
Jim eyed him warily. "Aren't you going to yell at me?"  
  
McCoy snorted, sitting down on his bed. "You want me to yell at you? I can do that."  
  
Jim fixed his narrow black tie, adjusting it until the knot was firmly against his neck. "Then why aren't you doing that?"  
  
McCoy gave him an incredulous look. "Are you serious, kid? I would've been an idiot if I didn't expect this! I already had my little freak-out, thank you. You two almost kissed in the goddamn Academy corridor!  _Admiral Komack_  was about twenty feet from you!"  
  
Jim's mouth fell open. "What, really?"  
  
Bones rolled his eyes. "Yes,  _really_ , Jim. But frankly, I'm a little surprised. The way you two looked at each other, I thought you would be fucking in deserted classrooms, not going to the  _opera_."   
  
Jim chuckled, zipping up his trousers. "I can be classy, you know. It's the first date, after all."  
  
McCoy's jaw dropped. "You are going to do  _dates?_ "  
  
Jim let out a laugh. "I know, right? I kind of don't believe myself but I really want to do it properly."  
  
 _Now_  Bones looked horrified. "Wait, you want a serious relationship with the hobgoblin? I thought you'd just fuck it out of your system!"  
  
Jim felt himself blush, and turning away from McCoy, slipped into his black jacket.   
"Yeah," he said. "But I don't know what he wants—hell, I don't even know if he'll show up. I know he wants me, too, but I don't know…We'll see."  
  
He looked at himself at the mirror and glanced at his watch. "Fuck, I've got to go, Bones!" And he was out the door, Bones shaking his head in Jim’s wake.  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
Jim checked his watch again, though it had been approximately ten seconds since the last time; four minutes left.   
  
Sighing, he leaned back on the sofa and loosened his tie. Shit, he was a nervous mess. Maybe he really should have just pushed Spock into an empty classroom and got the fuck of his life. It would have been easier. But somehow, it just felt… wrong.   
  
Hearing footsteps, Jim turned around as Spock entered the box, wearing a black dress suit with a narrow tie as well—and looking just. Fucking.  _Gorgeous.  
_  
Licking his lips, Jim smiled at him. "Hey."  
  
Spock looked at him for a few seconds before glancing around the box, taking in the interior. "Is there a particular reason why you chose a VIP box?"  
  
Smiling, Jim patted a place next to him. "There are several good reasons: a one-way soundproof force field"—he wiggled his eyebrows—"and the couch is pretty comfy."  
  
Spock's nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply.   
  
"C'mere," Jim said.   
  
Finally, Spock walked around and sat next to him. He looked tense, with stiff shoulders. Frowning, Jim inched closer to him until their sides were pressed and put a hand on Spock's upper arm. "Hey, what's up?" he asked softly.  
  
If anything, Spock tensed even more, looking at Jim with strange expression in his eyes. "I should not be here," he said, his voice rough.   
  
"Huh? Why?"   
  
The lights went down, leaving them in semi-darkness. Jim waited until his eyes adjusted to it. "Because I am a professor and you are a cadet."  
  
Jim's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you serious? It didn't stop you with Uhura!"  
  
"That was different," Spock said evenly.   
  
The Act I began, but Jim couldn't care less about it right now.  
  
" _How_  was that different?"   
  
Spock was silent before saying haltingly, "My relationship with Cadet Uhura was strictly platonic. I had no intention of being in an intimate relationship with her while I was still an instructor at the Academy."  
  
Jim frowned for a few moments before smiling slowly.  
"And it's different because you want to have sex with me right here and right now?"  
  
Spock tugged at his tie, his face tightening even more. "Essentially, you are correct. I am dismayed by my lack of control."  
  
"You’re  _pissed off_  because of your lack of control."  
  
"Correct."  
  
Grinning, Jim reached for Spock's tie. "Let me." He untangled the knot and let it hang loose, so that it was draped across Spock's shoulders. He couldn't help himself and undid the top button of the shirt, too.  
  
"Cadet," Spock warned him, his whole body going rigid.  
  
"Don't 'cadet' me," Jim murmured, staring at Spock's neck. "We are adults. Say my name. You said it before."  
  
"Jim," Spock tried. "This is unwise and against—"  
  
Jim leaned down and pressed his parted lips against Spock's neck. Spock's breathing hitched. "But it can't be wrong if we both want it, right?" Jim whispered, sucking the skin slightly to leave a mark.   
He moaned in frustration when Spock gently pushed him away. They stared at each other, faces very close. Jim licked his lips, painfully aware of his erection. "Don't you want it, too?"  
  
"…I do," Spock finally said, looking at Jim's mouth. "Too much. And this is the problem."  
  
"Why?" Jim whispered, pressing a kiss to a corner of Spock's mouth.   
  
"It is… distasteful that I might become too caught up in you, to the point that I forget about everything else. Such behavior is… unsuitable, for a Vulcan."  
  
Jim smiled, and closing his eyes, leaned his cheek against Spock's. Shit, he felt like a teenager on his first date. "Isn't it a good thing?"  
  
Spock pressed a kiss to his jaw line. "No, it is not. Did you know that there are twenty-three blond cadets at the Academy?"  
  
The abrupt change of topic confused Jim. "Um, no?"  
  
"I did not know, as well, but thanks to you, I am now in possession of that useless information, because I cannot help but seek you among cadets."  
  
Jim chuckled. "Really?"  
  
Spock kissed him on the temple.   
  
"This is not humorous. I am fully aware that my behavior is most illogical and juvenile. I am ashamed of how little attention I paid to Nyota, not to mention the complete lack of control I demonstrated in the corridor and gym."  
  
Jim smiled, wrapping his arms around Spock's neck. "I'm very sorry for driving you crazy, Professor," he murmured almost into Spock's mouth. "But I want to kiss you. May I kiss you?"  
  
Spock pushed him away and turned to the stage. "No," he said curtly.   
  
Jim stared at him incredulously. "What? Come  _on_ , Spock."  
  
Spock didn't look away from the stage. "I wish to watch the performance," he said with an amused undertone. "Why did you invite me here if you had no interest in it?"  
  
Jim pressed his cheek to Spock's shoulder, wrapping an arm around his waist. Spock let him. Jim closed his eyes and breathed in his scent, a slight touch of aftershave mixed with his own unique scent.   
"I wanted to be classy," he muttered. "And I'm starting to regret it."  
  
Spock did not say anything, just gently stroked the outside of Jim's hand that was resting on his belly.   
  
Jim smiled. "You know, I kind of feel like a boyfriend. That's a new feeling."  
  
He heard Spock's breathing hitch. "Do you… like it?" he said in a strange tone of voice.  
  
Opening his eyes, Jim looked at his profile. "Depends. Do you want me to like it?"  
  
He watched Spock's throat move as he swallowed.  
  
"I should not, but... Affirmative."  
  
"All right," Jim murmured, grinning. "I can do the boyfriend thing—I want to do the boyfriend thing. So... Can we please make out?"  
  
Spock's lips twitched a little. "No."  
  
Jim pursed his lips.   
"Why not?"   
  
Spock was quiet for a few moments. "I am fairly certain I cannot engage in 'making out' without losing my self-control."   
  
Jim stared at him, frowning, before looking down at Spock's crotch.   
  
 _Oh.  
_  
He licked his lips, opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "You don't want to kiss me because you don't want to end up having public sex?"  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"Well, that's…" Jim thought for a moment. "It’s a pretty shitty reason, don't you think?"  
  
"I think it is a very good reason."  
  
With a sigh, Jim adjusted himself in his trousers.  _Happy blue balls, indeed.  
_  
"There's nothing wrong with public sex," he mumbled, trying to convince himself to keep his hand on Spock's stomach. He wanted to be a classy boyfriend—well, he'd never been a boyfriend and he had never been particularly classy, but there was a first time for everything, right? "Don't you think there’s something exciting about doing it in public places—the thrill of knowing that people might be watching, that they might be able to catch a glimpse of our naked bodies—"  
  
"Jim, I have no desire to discuss the merits of public sexual congress. Also, I… do not wish anyone to see you naked."  
  
Jim chuckled. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but plenty of people have seen me naked."  
  
Spock turned his head to him. His warm breath brushed against Jim's lips, and Jim shivered.  
"You are not becoming naked in public," he said with finality.  
  
A surge of arousal shot through Jim at his words. "Okay; no getting naked in public. Got it."  
  
Spock gave him a quick, hard kiss, but drew back before Jim could deepen it. "I apologize," Spock said hoarsely, turning back to the stage. "I could not help myself."  
  
His lips still tingling, Jim chuckled. "You’re apologizing for the wrong thing, Spock." He looked at the stage, looked at his tenting trousers, looked at Spock's bulging trousers and said, "Let's ditch the opera."  
  
"We cannot," Spock said, keeping his gaze firmly on the stage. "The audience cannot leave the auditorium during the performance; it is permitted only in case of emergency—"  
  
"I  _do_  have an emergency here."  
  
"Medical emergency, Jim."  
  
"We can lie."  
  
"Vulcans do not lie."  
  
"You suck, Spock. Or not. The problem is you are not sucki—"  
  
"There are thirty-two-point-six minutes left until the intermission."  
  
Jim sighed, looking at Spock's crotch. He stared at it for a minute or two, literally salivating, before moving his hand down.  
  
Spock caught his wrist in an iron grip. "Jim."   
  
"Come on, let me," he murmured, pressing his lips to the side Spock's face. "I wanna touch you. No one will see, I promise."  
  
Spock closed his eyes briefly before letting go of Jim's wrist.  
  
Grinning in triumph, Jim cupped Spock's hard dick through the fabric, gently squeezing. Spock's whole body tensed.   
  
"I wasn’t asleep the other night, you know," he whispered into Spock's ear, stroking the length slowly. "I totally touched you on purpose while Uhura was sitting next to you. Did it turn you on?"   
  
Spock was silent for a moment, his breathing shallow. "Yes,” he managed. “Against my better judgment, I found you sexually appealing. I was aroused all the time while you were sprawled over me."   
  
"Jesus, don't say stuff like that," Jim grated out. His fingers clumsy with urgency, he unzipped Spock's trousers and pulled his dick out. Spock drew in a deep breath as Jim's hand wrapped around his cock.   
"Shit, you dick is so hot. It's like holding the sun—I wonder what it'd feel like to have this inside of me—"  
  
Spock pushed his hand away and zipped himself up.  
  
"Wha—" Jim started when Spock stood up, and grabbing Jim by the arm, yanked him off the couch.  
  
"We are leaving," he said shortly, dragging Jim to the exit of the box. Well, Jim didn't exactly resist. Grinning maniacally, he murmured, "But what about what you said? We’re not supposed to—"  
  
"I do not care," Spock said, pulling him closer. "Lean against me and close your eyes."  
  
"What? But—"  
  
"And be silent."  
  
Jim would have protested if he didn't want to leave like yesterday. Wrapping an arm around Spock's neck, Jim sagged against him, burying his face in the fabric of his jacket.  
  
Spock practically carried him to the exit. He heard Spock say to someone, "I apologize, but my companion needs immediate assistance. We must leave so that I can apply the necessary treatment."  
  
Spock didn't even wait for the answer.  _How rude of him_ , Jim thought, suppressing a snicker as Spock carried him out of the auditorium.   
  
"You lied," he murmured into Spock's jacket when the door shut behind them, muffling the music.  
  
"I did not."  
  
Jim chuckled. "Uh-huh. You are one sneaky Vulcan. Tell me again  _why_  you’re still carrying me? I can walk on my own."  
  
"Do not talk. You are supposed to be fatigued. I am heading to a bathroom."  
  
Jim licked his lips. "Yeah? And what are we gonna do in there?"  
  
"The first thing I am planning to do is make you quiet. Is that even possible?"  
  
Jim snickered. "Nope. You already know I talk with my mouth full. But your dick is pretty huge, so—"  
  
"Jim," Spock said tightly. "You  _will_  be quiet until we arrive at the bathroom. Understood?"  
  
Jim's cock twitched, straining his trousers. "You know, I would have punched you for ordering me around if it didn't turn me on so much. Seriously, I'm one step away from humping your leg. And where the fuck is that bathroom?"  
  
"Here," Spock said roughly, pushing a door open. They were barely through the door when Spock was pinning him against it, his tongue roughly pushing Jim's lips apart. Moaning—fucking  _finally_ —Jim wrapped his arms around Spock's neck and kissed him back, grinding his crotch against Spock's. Spock reached down by his hip to flick the lock. A heartbeat later, he whipped Jim around and began kissing the nape of his neck, his hands tugging Jim's shirt out of his trousers.  
  
"You do strange things to me that I do not like," Spock said, biting his neck, hard; groaning, Jim pressed his ass against Spock's bulge. "I do not like it, yet I cannot fight it."  
  
"Good," Jim said, smiling, his cock throbbing in anticipation as Spock's hands slid under his shirt before stroking Jim's erection through the fabric. With a sound that was somewhere between a growl and a whimper, Jim leaned into the touch, wanting more, wanting skin brushing on skin—they were wearing too much clothing.   
  
"Come on," he breathed out. "I've got lube. We can fuck—I wanna fuck. Want you."  
  
Spock's entire body went stiff against him; he stopped kissing Jim's neck.  
"You brought lubrication to the opera," he said incredulously.  
  
Jim chuckled. "Hey, it pays to be prepared!" He took a package of lube out of his pocket, and turning to Spock, handed it to him. "And I was right, huh?"  
  
His cheeks flushed green, Spock stared at him for a few moments, his pupils huge. "Indeed," he said hoarsely, and captured Jim’s lips with his, kissing him with such force and such want that the intensity of it almost made Jim come on the spot, his whole world narrowing to the heat of Spock's mouth and his body as everything else became a blur. Jim had no clue how he had lost his clothes, but when they broke the kiss, he found himself completely naked save for the black tie. Spock's jacket was on the floor, his shirt was unbuttoned, and his fly was open, but otherwise he was fully clothed; his hard cock looked obscene sticking out of his trousers.   
  
They resumed kissing, but it didn't last long—they were both too far gone to wait. Spock's hands seemed to be unable to leave Jim's backside, gliding over his ass cheeks, making Jim groan and writhe.   
  
"Come  _on,_  Spock, I can't wait. I wanna fuck. You wanna fuck me, right?"  
  
"Yes," Spock hissed, squeezing his buttocks.  
  
With his heart racing and his cock rock hard, Jim turned around and braced himself against the wall, blatantly spreading his legs in invitation.   
  
He heard Spock make a strangled sound in his throat, and few moments later, Spock squirted lube over his hole, smearing it around before sliding a slick finger inside him. Jim squirmed in discomfort at first, but then Spock's finger brushed against his prostate, and  _fuck_ , it felt good, much better than he remembered. His body buzzing with arousal and pleasure, he hardly noticed as Spock slipped a second and then a third finger inside of him. Jesus, he'd forgotten how good it could be.  
  
"C'mon, I'm ready," Jim grated out, wrapping a hand around his cock.   
  
Spock pulled out his fingers and made him turn around.  
"I wish to see your face," he clarified, giving him a short kiss, and lifted Jim up.  
  
His eyes widening, Jim grabbed Spock's shoulders and wrapped his legs around his waist. "You sure you can hold me up?"  
  
"Quite."  
  
Breathing hard, they stared at each other as Spock entered him slowly, allowing him to accommodate the girth. Jim's eyes fluttered closed—  _Holy shit_. Spock was huge. And hot. Jim let out a breath.  
  
"Come on," he said, licking his lips and gripping his own cock. "Come on. Fuck me."  
  
Spock didn't move. "You are still experiencing pain," he said through his teeth, his muscles vibrating with tension under Jim's hands.  
  
Opening his eyes, Jim gave him a glare. "If you don't fuck me right now, I swear to fucking God I'm gonna punch you. I'm not made of glass, Spock. I can take a good hard fuck, even from a Vulcan."  
  
Spock's dark eyes glazed over, deeper, with lust. He bit Jim's bottom lip. "Remember that you asked for it yourself." Gripping Jim's hips, he pulled out and thrust into him, hard. Jim gasped, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. _Fuckfuckfuck.  
_  
"Harder," he panted into Spock's ear, their cheeks pressed together.  
  
"Harder? Are you certain, Cadet?"  
  
Jim grinned, feeling a jolt of arousal. "Yes."  
  
"As you wish." Spock slammed into him again and again, each thrust faster and harder but always at the same angle, hitting the same spot, and  _fuck_  that hurt but it was a good kind of hurt, almost negligible compared to the pleasure. The wall behind him was cold, and if it wasn't for Spock's strength, they would have fallen on the floor, but it was still the best sex Jim had ever had. Spock's thrusts were  _perfect_ : rough but not too rough, tenderness balanced with ferocity, and his hand under Jim's ass, lifting him up with that inhuman strength of his as he pounded into Jim relentlessly, hitting his prostate with brutal, delicious force.  
  
Jim lost track of time; it could be hours or minutes, but he had no idea. He hoped the walls were soundproof, because neither of them was particularly quiet.  
  
Jim heard some loud sound and opened his eyes, realizing that someone was knocking on the door.  
Spock's movements slowed down but didn't come to a complete halt as they looked at the door, then at each other, breathing hard.   
  
"Don't you dare stop," Jim grit out. "Faster. Come on."  
  
Burying his face into the juncture between Jim's neck and shoulder, Spock started pounding into him at a maddening pace, and Jim let out a long loud groan, not giving a damn about the person banging on the door.  
  
Just the thought of how they must look—fucking in a bathroom, Spock, still mostly fully clothed, and Jim, naked but for a tie—pushed Jim over the edge and he came hard with a cry as Spock held him tight. Spock kissed him hard, thrust into him twice more, and then Jim felt hot streams fill him up.  
  
Spock sagged against him, panting and gasping for breath. They stayed in that position for a while, Jim's hand resting on the small of Spock's back, their foreheads pressed together.   
  
The knocking became more insistent.  
  
Jim laughed softly. "So much for the afterglow."   
  
Spock kissed him softly and put him down on the floor. Jim winced and leaned against the wall. "Are you in pain?" Spock asked quickly, frowning and touching his shoulder.  
  
Rolling his eyes, Jim flashed him a smile. "No, Mr. Worry-Wart; it's just been a while, is all. Let's clean up and get out of here before that guy pisses himself."

  
  
* * *

  
  
It was pleasant outside, a perfect temperature.   
  
They walked in comfortable silence side by side, their shoulders and hands brushing every so often. Jim breathed in the night air, relishing it, the warm buzz of contentment blossoming in his chest. He knew he was smiling like a fool, but he couldn't control himself.   
  
He thought he felt Spock's gaze a few times, but every time he turned his head, he found Spock looking straight ahead, his expression not giving anything away.  
  
"Jim," Spock said finally.  
  
Jim looked at him. "Yeah?"   
  
"Vulcans do not engage in… casual relationships."   
  
Jim smirked. "Yeah—they only engage in casual sex and serious relationships, right?"  
  
Spock's lips twitched. "While your statement is not entirely incorrect, I am serious, Jim."  
  
Jim stopped and turned to him. Spock stopped, too. They looked at each other.   
  
Licking his lips, Jim glanced up at the sky and chuckled.  
  
"What is so humorous?" Spock asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I just can't believe I'm going to confess my  _feelings_  under the fucking moon," Jim said, smiling. "What's become of my life?"  
  
"Confess your feelings?" Spock repeated, his voice cracking a little.  
  
Jim brushed a hand through his hair.   
  
"Look, I'm not stupid, Spock. I know you wouldn't go against Academy regulations for some random fling. I know what I'm getting into. I've never been in a serious relationship—I never wanted to—but I've never been in love before too—well, I don't know if I'm in love, but it's the closest thing I've ever felt to love, so..."   
  
Jim trailed off, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Shit, how did people do this all the time? And why wasn't Spock saying anything?   
  
"Look, I'm not gonna say that all this relationship stuff doesn't freak me out at all." Jim chuckled. "Sure it does. But I still want it -- the serious relationship thing. The sleeping and eating together, wearing each other's clothes, adopting puppies and babies or whatever people do in a relationship. But I'm warning you: I'm probably gonna suck at this, and I have plenty of issues, and I'm not going to magically change and be all logical and stuff, 'cause let's face it, I'm kinda a jerk sometimes—"  
  
"Jim, breathe," Spock said, his voice sounding almost amused.  
  
Jim laughed. "God, I'm really awful at this, huh?"  
  
Spock put his hands on Jim's hips and kissed him briefly, the delicate press of the kiss contrasting sharply with the hard grip on Jim's hips.  
Jim tried to deepen it, but Spock pulled back a little.  
  
"I do not wish you to change—I find you endlessly fascinating just the way you are," he said, and Jim grinned, "and I do not think people would react well to you wearing my clothes, although I have to admit the thought has… certain appeal. In addition, I am not ready to adopt infants and juvenile canines."   
  
Jim made a sad face. "You are a cruel, mean Vulcan. I kinda wanted a puppy, you know."  
  
Spock pulled him closer. "I do not think an overexcited puppy and you are a good combination," he said, kissing him on the temple.  
  
"This conversation isn't over," Jim said solemnly before breaking into a grin. "But, now that we professed our undying love for each other—and 'endlessly fascinating' is practically a love confession in Spock-speak—we should have the obligatory kiss under the moon, don't you think?"  
  
Spock's lips twitched a little. "Your logic is flawless, Cadet."  
  
Jim beamed at him. "I know," he murmured into Spock's mouth.  
  
 **  
  
~The End**


End file.
